Southern Africa Philately
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Pioneering South African Philately

This Page is devoted to the History of the
Philately of Southern Africa
, its Personalities, early Journals

Local people such as Emil Tamsen, Mozes Booleman, Sallo Epstein,
Saul Klagsburn and in Britain Edward Nankivell and Bertram Poole
Edward Nankivell
The Transvaal Collectors’ Quarterly Review No 1
Emil Tamsen
 
Introduction and Articles published in Southern Africa Philately
First Issue September 2015, No 2 February 2016, No 3 June 2016, No 4 October 2016, No 5 February 2017, No 6 June 2017 & No 7 October 2017
An ongoing series of articles is being published on Pioneering the Philately of South Africa by the people in question such as Emil Tamsen, Moses Booleman, Sallo Epstein and Saul Klagsburn.
British Pioneers include Edward James Nankivell (Transvaal) and Bertram William Henry Poole (South African War Provisionals & Stellaland)

Early fledgling Philatelic Societies were formed, only to peter out and re-started again at a later date. Attempts were made to publish Philatelic journals which in turn had a very short run. Pre-Union Philatelic exhibitions were also staged in Pretoria (December 1903 & 1906) and in Durban (August 1906).
The first Union Exhibition took place in Durban during June/July 1913, an article on the subject published in Southern Africa Philately Issue No 4 Octoner 2016

In November 1895 The South African Philatelist 1895 - 96 appeared and was edited by Klagsbrun and Epstein.
Typewritten, cost 6d per copy and enjoyed six issues only. Its last edition was in April 1896.

Please Note - Given that space on this website is not an issue additional information and illustrations have been added expanding on the original articles.
Emil Tamsen - The Transvaal Philatelic Society - The South African Philatelist (1895 - 96)
Introduction
Prior to the turn of the 20th century it appears that interest in philately within South Africa was either sparked by immigrants or overseas personalities who had a fascination for the stamps of the various territories within Southern Africa.

British enthusiasts included the likes of Bertram Poole and Edward Nankivell.

In South Africa there are familiar names such as Emil Tamsen, Mozes Booleman, Sallo Epstein and Saul Klagsbrun.
They were either responsible or instrumental in the formation of fledgling Philatelic Societies or the foundation of the first South African Philatelic Journal. Events such as the 1895 - 96 Jameson raid followed by the 1899 - 1902 Boer War created a void for philately activity.

Tamsen wrote an article in The South African Philatelist (July 1928) entitled The Philatelic Press in South Africa...Of course one must remember that stamp collecting in South Africa is more or less of recent date, broadly speaking since 1900. Before then collectors were few and far between. I well remember in the early eighties being looked upon as a crank for collecting stamps and spending time and money on them...

Over the years an array of articles, reports and snippets of information regarding early pioneering philatelists, dealers, societies, journals and stamp exhibitions have appeared in The South African Philatelist, yet no-one appears to have done the entire subject justice. Pauw Steyl has written several interesting accounts, however one requires Afrikaans literacy to appreciate his work.
One such article appeared in the January/February 1992 SAP, being a well researched article on Moses Booleman.

Emil Tamsen (1861 - 1957)
I believe it is fair to say that Emil Tamsen is one of South Africa’s earliest astute and highly respected Philatelists.

In 1921 Tamsen was one of the original signatures to the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists in Great Britain.

In 1932 he signed the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists of Southern Africa.

His Library was purchased by the Public Library in Johannesburg.

His obituary appeared in the September 1957 edition of The South African Philatelist page 132.

The Transvaal Philatelic Society
Came into being on 18 April 1894 and Tamsen, Booleman, Epstein and Klagsbrun were all founder members. The name was later modified to The Johannesburg Philatelic Society.

In November 1895 The South African Philatelist 1895 - 96 appeared and edited by Klagsbrun and Epstein. Typewritten, cost 6d per copy and enjoyed six issues only. The last edition was in April 1896. The Stanley Gibbons Monthly Journal - 31 December 1895 edition commented...The work is certainly an interesting one and much information will be found in it...
Continued in next column

  The South African Philatelist (1895 - 96)
Tamsen commented in the July 1928 SAP - The contents are solely South African and there are some good articles...in their final number the editors noted that ‘philatelists have not taken advantage of this medium of supplying them with local news.’ M.Z. Booleman & Co. (a Johannesburg stamp dealer) was the only advertiser.

November 1895 the First Philatelic Journal in South Africa
A contemporary article describing this journal appeared in the October 1910 edition of The Stamp Lover. Entitled The Philatelic Literature of South Africa by Herbert Clark.

The South African Philatelist...The first number is dated November 1895, and the whole set consists of six numbers, the last or which is dated April 1896. The paper was published by M. Z. Booleman & Co., Philately House, Johannesburg, South African Republic and edited by Messrs. Klagsbrun and Epstein.

The paper consists of type-written sheets, of course printed on one side only, and sewn into a blue cover bearing the title of the paper and the publishers’ address, printed in an ornamented frame. The advertisements were typed on the front and back pages, and no outside advertisements were taken.

All six numbers are now scarce, and a complete set is decidedly rare. From the method of production it is evident that the number of copies issued must have been limited. Altogether, the set contains 50 numbered pages and covers.

The chief contents are articles on the stamps of British Bech-uanaland and Bechuanaland Protectorate, Natal, Orange Free State and Swaziland, Monthly Chat on current events in the philatelic world, New Issue column, and a series on South African Stamp Forgeries.

The paper was evidently appreciated by other philatelic editors for, turning over the pages of contemporary papers; one comes across extract after extract from it.

The articles on forgeries, in particular, were thus ‘lifted,’ and it is probable they were considerable service to the philatelic public.

In their valedictory remarks in the last number the editors are worth quoting. They say: - ‘This number ends the contract between us and our subscribers to whom we guaranteed six numbers. The task has been an arduous one. We had to battle not only against the discomforts caused by the political disturbances here, but also the unsympathetic non-support of philatelists in South Africa. We had literally to write every syllable contained in the six numbers ourselves’.

This does not say much for the state of philately in South Africa at the time, and was certainly very hard on the editors.

With commendable zea1the latter announced at the same time that they would issue a two-page paper, to be called the ‘South African Philatelist Monthly Bulletin’, but this never appeared.

Mozes Booleman and Sallo Epstein

Booleman hailed from Amsterdam and emigrated to South Africa in October 1892. On the voyage he met Epstein and as a result of their mutual interest in philately became friends.
In 1893 Booleman initially set up in business dealing in fancy goods and stamps and by 1896 he was listed only as a stamp dealer. He had a shop in Pritchard Street, Johannesburg called Philately House. Booleman & Co included Epstein and during late 1896 the firm went into liquidation.

According to Pauw Steyl (January/February 1992 SAP) - Who wrote a well researched article on Moses Booleman....
Epstein took over and Booleman returned to the Netherlands and set up a successful Stamp Auction, he passed away on 3 October 1915. The name of his company continued until 1964. Epstein operated a branch of his business in Durban during the Boer War.
On 2 June 1902 he advertised in the Transvaal Leader as Sallo Epstein, Philately House, Rissik street, PO Box 520, Johannesburg.


Envelope to Sallo Epstein, Philately House in Rissik Street
Posted during the Boer War from MOMBASA 20 DE 99.
Transit Zanzibar 26 DE 99 and OPENED UNDER MARTIAL LAW - STOPPED BY CENSOR - RETURN TO SENDER. Backstamped DURBAN FE 3 00 and single circle RETURN LETTER OFFICE NATAL 9 2 00. Finally backstamped ZANZIBAR 12 MR 00 transit and MOMBASA 14 MA 1900 arrival.



Based on Pauw Steyl’s remark that Epstein was in Durban during the Boer War, the above letter questions that statement. Yet there is sufficient evidence that Epstein certainly had a base in Durban after the Boer War.

Postcards by Sallo Epstein & Co. Durban
The firm produced picture postcards either with letters in a shield SE/C/D or inscribed Published by Sallo Epstein & Co. Durban. I have seen cards posted from 1904 to 1911 that were either sent from Potchefstroom, Pietermaritzburg or in the Cape.


View in Capetown Docks

Initialled Postcards are not numbered and either in colour or in black and white

The above was Published in Southern Africa Philately No 4 (October 2016)

Continued in next column
 

Postcards by Sallo Epstein & Co. Durban

SECD - cards, all Cape Town scenes
View in Capetown Docks - In colour
The Fishing Jetty - In colour
The Vestibule Parliament House - In colour
New Somerset Hospital - In colour
Mansion House Chambers - In black & white
QueenVictoria Statue - In black & white
South African Museum - In black & white


In the Docks with the Clock Tower at right


Adderley Street Central


In the Docks - showing the Custom House


Strand Street

PC No
All Views Cape Town scenes - all in colour
1494
Adderley Street Central
1498
The South African College
1500
In the Docks - showing the Custom House
1502
In the Docks with the Clock Tower at right
1517
A General View of Capetown Dock
1531
Strand Street
 
Other Epstein Cards with Rhodesia Scenes
1601
The Allan Wilson Memorial - Matoppos
1603
Rhodes' Grave in the Matoppos
Edward James Nankivell (1848 - 1909) - The Transvaal Collectors’ Quarterly and Cape of Good Hope
Edward James Nankivell (1848 - 1909)
Born at Perranzabuloe in North Cornwall on 17 September 1848 and privately educated, mostly in Ireland. Took up shorthand and drifted into journalism.

Went to London in 1871 and a member of the editorial staff of the Central News. Reported Disraeli’s great speech at Crystal Palace and later moved to the Pall Mall Gazette.

During his time there he took a report of Lord Carnarvon’s speech criticizing the course of Gladstone’s surrender to Kruger...Nankivell expressed an opinion there was to be a recurrence of the same trouble.

It is suggested that the above inspired an interest in the stamps of Transvaal and he proceeded to gather together an exceptional collection of the country. With his skill in journalism he edited and published a Transvaal journal.

1899 - The Transvaal Collectors’ Quarterly
Published in Croydon by Edward James Nankivell. Two editions January and April 1899. In his first Editorial he wrote - We send this Quarterly with a twofold object - to give and to receive information. Having collected and studied the adhesive postage stamps of the Transvaal for the past twenty years, we have acquired a great deal of information which may be
useful to our fellow collectors.
There is much, however that we desire to have cleared up and concerning which, especially those in the Transvaal, may help us our readers.
For some years we have been accumulating material for an exhaustive work on the ‘Adhesive Postage Stamps of the Transvaal’, but we have no intention of venturing upon its publication until we are able to write more definitely than we can at present as to the issues of the First Republic...

The first issue was a twenty page journal, included five adverts from
G. Hamilton-Smith & Co., William S. Lincoln, W.T. Wilson, W. Hadlow and Stanley Gibbons.

Volume I No 1 January 1899 - Content
Transvaals for Specialising, First Steps for Specialists, The Defective ‘Zes’, 1866 Mr Fred Jeppe - Postmaster of Potchefstroom, Occasional Notes, Novelties and Discoveries. Prices obtained by auctioneers Buhl & Co. on 22 and 23 November 1898 for the Pearce collection of Transvaal.

Concluding with two pages on The Market and advised...The collector of Transvaal will rarely find any copies of early issues in the stock of the ordinary dealer, for the simple reason that the general dealer, not understanding them, regards them as so much unsalable stock.

Volume I No 2 April 1899 - Content
The second number of the Nankivell’s journal only had 16 pages and includes 1879 Provisional ‘1 Penny’ on 6d, First Steps for Specialists, British Occupation, Occasional Notes, Novelties and Discoveries, Sale of the Pearce Collection - cont. Nankivell concluded with The Market and reviewed prices in the ‘new’ 1899 catalogue followed by a headline Red Surcharges.
Auction Prices above Catalogue
.

29 April 1899 - Stanley Gibbons Monthly Journal
They wished his enterprise success, but expressed doubt of its success, concluding...whether the object of his devotion is fully worthy of such exclusive attention.

The anticipated July issue did not make an appearance.

Emil Tamsen's Comments on Nankivell's Journal
Tamsen wrote...He asked me to suggest some means of arousing more interest in his paper, and I suggested making it The African Philatelist and writing about ‘all’ African States Republics, French, German and Portuguese Colonies and not confining himself to British colonies alone. He did not like my idea and the result was that he had to cease publication and so it will always be when one caters for a limited section of the public.

Nankivell Transvaal collection sold to Stanley Gibbons
Reported in the January 1903 Stanley Gibbons Monthly Journal
Assembled over a period of twenty three years in six volumes, Nankivell asking price was initially £6000 and the collection included four mint and used examples of each stamp, followed by strips and blocks. There were pages of varieties, including, Tete-beche, inverted surcharges and defective lettering. It was on offer intact for £5,250 and it is rumoured that Nankivell had accepted £3000 which bought him land and a house in Kent.

Nankivell’s Philatelic Career
Started in 1881 on the invitation of E.D. Bacon to join the Philatelic Society of London. Editor of Reporter’s Magazine, January 1896 Philatelic Record and Philatelic Journal of India.
Correspondent for American Journal of Philately, The Captain and The Connoisseur.
In January 1905 to September 1907 was the Editor of Gibbons Stamp Weekly.

After resigning and moving to the country Nankivell started the Postage Stamp in 1907 until his sudden death on 18 March 1909 at his residence in Tunbridge Wells. Fred Melville took over as editor of the Postage Stamp. Nankivell’s obituary appeared in Gibbons Stamp Weekly on 3 April 1909.

Nom-de-plumes
Nankivell wrote as Alfred Jingle, Sir Charge Wakatipu, O. Reginald Gum and
Cornelius Wrinkle.


Books by Edward Nankivell
A well known title published in 1902 Stamp Collecting as a Pastime. He also produced several booklets, some of them were published after his death by Fred Melville.
Sudan in 1904, Jamaica and Cayman Islands in (1908). Cape of Good Hope (1908) and Oil Rivers and Niger coast Protectorate (1909) The last three titles published by Melville who took over as Editor of the Journal The Postage Stamp Melville also used Nankivell's nom-de-plume as Cornelius Wrinkle.

 


The Transvaal Collectors’ Quarterly No 1



The Transvaal Collectors’ Quarterly No 2


Cape of Good Hope by Nankivell
Published by Fred Melville after the Author's death
Bertram William Henry Poole (1880 - 1957)
The West-End Philatelist’s Connection with Southern Africa
In 1904 the London Firm of David Field had their premises at 4 & 5 The Royal Arcade,
Old Bond Street and in March they launched their own publication, The West-End Philatelist edited by Bertram W.H. Poole. Poole wrote an article on Stellaland published during 1908 in the Stanley Gibbons’ Monthly Journal.
Poole's article was reprinted during 1937 in The South African Philatelist.

It occurred to me that it seemed strange that a man in the West End of London would have knowledge of a remote Republic in Southern Africa at the turn of the twentieth century.
Via a Google search, it transpires that Bertram Poole was a prominent philatelist of yester-year, not only that, he was sent to South Africa during the Boer War to go and source stamps for the British Stamp Trade. Thus while most people travelled to the Cape armed with rifles to fight a war, Poole went to South Africa with a bundle of cash to buy stamps!

Bertram William Henry Poole
Born on 22 March 1880 in England, died in California on 8 September 1957.
In 1921 Poole was one of the original signatures to the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists, along with Emil Tamsen. Dealer, Author and Collector, in 1899 he joined H. L’Estrange Ewen who sent him to South Africa to obtain war provisionals and in 1901 he wrote a monograph on the subject.


Volume I No 8 - October 1902

In 1902 he launched his own magazine, Poole’s Monthly Philatelist and this publication was ‘incorporated’ into The West-End Philatelist in 1904 when he joined the staff of David Field. He had also been the Editor of the Philatelic Journal of Great Britain.

From 1912 to 1931 he edited his own publication Philatelic Opinion and in 1913 he served on the jury at International Philatelic Exhibition in New York and shortly afterward took up residence in the USA. Poole was soon thought of as an American Philatelist and between 1912 and 1923 he wrote a number of monographs on European and British colonial postage stamps which were published in Mekeels Handbook.


He contributed numerous articles to other philatelic journals and in 1917 he co-authored United States Virgin Islands with Julius (John) Murray Bartels.

Poole wrote handbooks on Bermuda, Belgium, British Honduras, Bulgaria, Cook Islands, Crete, Denmark, Dominica, Falkland Islands, German States, Germany & Colonies, Gold Coast, Hong Kong, Mexico, New Brunswick, Newfoundland (with HE Huber), Nova Scotia, Sarawak, Seychelles, Sierra Leone and Zululand. Poole was the Co-author with W.O. Wylie, of The Standard Philatelic Dictionary (1922). Poole was also a collector and he was regarded as a specialist of Haiti and Latin America. During the last year of his life his final publication was Pioneer Stamps of the British Empire (1957).

 




South African War Provisionals (1901) by Bertram Poole
Published in London, this little booklet includes 56 pages and was an important contribution to South African Philately at the start of the twentieth century.

The West-End Philatelist Vol I No 2 March 1904
The South African Philatelist Issue No 3 (January 1911)
Transvaal KEVII Revenues 2/6 & 5/- with Inverted Centres
Transvaal KEVII 5s with Inverted Centre
The West-End Philatelist Volume 1 No 2 April 1904, on page 28 under
The Publisher’s Corner by D. Field, he wrote:

This month I am able to illustrate a 5s Transvaal stamp, which...has the King’s head inverted. This stamp is unique as being the first on which his Majesty’s portrait has been shown upside down, and it is not very likely that any similar errors will occur.

As my readers know, Messrs. De la Rue & Co., the printers of this and other Colonial stamps, exercise the greatest care in producing them, and before leaving their premises each sheet of stamps is carefully scrutinized, and any that are not perfect are immediately removed and destroyed.
It is, therefore, fairly evident that the chances are very much against more than one sheet of the error escaping the eagle eyes of the gentlemen who examine the sheets of stamps; indeed, the wonder is that this one was not detected.

This error was discovered by a Johannesburg solicitor, who bought two copies from the post office there in the ordinary course of business. Directly he noticed the mistake he went to try and buy the remainder of the sheet, but in the meantime the authorities had also seen the error and withdrew the balance from sale, and to get the solicitor to return the specimens he already had. This he refused to do, but sent them to a friend in England, from whom I purchased them, and I think there can be little doubt that these are the only two copies of the error in existence.

Comment
Sheets of the Transvaal 2s 6d and 5s 1902 KEVII Revenues with an inverted centre were printed in two panes of sixty.
The West-End Philatelist report may suggest that the 2s 6d KEVII revenue was possibly discovered at a later date. Given the numbers known today, it proves that the remainder of the 5s sheet was not destroyed and at some stage found its way onto the philatelic market.

As the 2s 6d inverted centre is encountered more often, the general consensus of opinion was, that there were perhaps two sheets of the 2s 6d value and only one of the 5s. See The Edwardian Stamps of the South African Colonies by Brian Trotter page 242

David Field’s 1904 explanation as to how the 5s inverted centre was discovered is important. It points to an unknown number of examples having been sold over the counter prior to the time that the Johannesburg solicitor noticed them. It is likely that the counter staff acquired the balance of the 5s inverted centre
Continued in next column

 
The news of 5s error would more than likely trigger off a search in the Johannesburg post office, as well as in various other offices, to see whether or not their Revenue stock included inverted centres. It may be feasible that the 2s 6d inverted centre was possibly still intact when it was discovered.
The foregoing may be a good explanation why the 2s 6d inverted centre is more common than its 5s counterpart.

Transvaal KEVII 2/6 and 5s with Inverted Centre



The South African Philatelist
Issue No 3 (January 1911)

The West-End Philatelist
April 1904 reported the circumstances how the KEVII 5/- Revenue with inverted centre was first discovered.

M.P. Vallentine was a Johannesburg Stamp dealer trading from Pretoria Buildings, corner of Bree and Smal streets.
He advertised in the 1910-1912 editions of The South African Philatelist and in issue No 3 (January 1911) there is this note

...Mr Vallentine reports that he has just seen in Johannesburg a pane of the Transvaal Revenue 2/6 ‘with centre inverted’.

The 1904 UK and 1911 South Africa Reports place on recorded how both these two major varieties came to be. All the foregoing has been published in Southern Africa Philately No's 1 and 2, pages 41 and 78.

The Stamp Recorder and Collectors’ Exchange (1904 - 05)

THE STAMP RECORDER / and Collectors’ Exchange

Editor and Publisher (apparently)
W. E. Neave
- Charlestown Natal

Volume 1 No 1 - August 1904
No 2 Volume 1 - January 1905 - Grand Double Number

After the 1895-96 editions of The South African Philatelist this was the second attempt of producing a South African Philatelic journal.
Editor and Publisher W. E. Neave, Charlestown, Natal.
Two issues only, Vol. 1 No 1 - August 1904 and Vol. 1 No 2 January 1905. ‘Grand Double Number’.

Herbert Clark wrote in The Stamp Lover...The other paper, ‘The Stamp Recorder and Collectors’ Exchange’, appeared from Charlestown, Natal, in August 1904, but only three numbers appeared. This paper dealt with coin and curio collecting and picture postcards as well as stamps. It does not appear to contain matter of permanent interest except a page of philatelic terms.

Comment - From the above it appears that issue No 2 & 3 were combined into Neave’s Grand Double Number.

Tamsen in (SAP) July 1928 Article entitled The Philatelic Press in South Africa did not record this journal, but in an editorial note in the July 1928 The South African Philatelist it states that Neave moved to London and the editor wrote...We understand that they were very small papers of little real interest.

Alan MacGregor in Simonstown has copies of both editions and thanks to him I have been able to examine said journals.

The above was Published in Southern Africa Philately No 4 (October 2016)

A Second Version of The South African Philatelist (1910 - 1912)
A Type written Fore-runner
According to Tamsen (1) this journal had no title and it was the predecessor to the next South African Philatelist. T. Henderson, the Secretary of the Johannesburg United Philatelic Society, was the editor of said ‘forerunner’.

On 25 May 1910, at the society’s annual dinner, Henderson introduced his typewritten journal and later wrote...a new philatelic journal was sprung upon an astonished world. True, it appeared in a humbly tentative form; it was type-written; it was doomed to circulate laboriously among an elect few whom it reached by devious routes. Had it been ever so expeditious, it could never have touched more than the fringe of South African Philately. But it fulfilled its mission: its three numbers showed that a paper could be produced worthy of a worthier dress...

Tamsen commented that most of the writing was mainly of interest to the Johannesburg Society and added...was unique in so far that the illustrations of the different stamps were the block cuts taken out of catalogues and pasted in between the reading matter. The journal had no advertisements...

Issue No 1 in May 1910 and No 3 in August 1910. Only four copies of each issue were produced. I have not seen a copy.
The recipients of this type-written journal were identified by Henderson
1) The Johannesburg Society 2) The editor - Henderson 3) Emil Tamsen
4) The editor of The Postage Stamp who used a pseudonym of Cornelius Wrinkle. Previously Edward Nankivell (Died 18.3.1909) followed by Fred Melville.

The South African Philatelist (1910 - 12) - Version II
Surviving copies of this journal are very rare. Birch (2) does not list it and few individuals seem to be aware of its very existence. There was a brief mention of this journal under Milestones of the Past - SAP September 1970.

At a meeting of the Society on 27 September 1910
The President then made an important announcement. About November 15 will be published the first number of a monthly magazine, the first printed philatelic journal in South Africa, under the auspices of the Society and with the support of most of the philatelic societies in South Africa.
It will be sold at 6d per copy or 6s per annum (postage extra), or 6s 6d per annum post free. It will contain eight pages, the size of page to that of the ‘Stamp Lover’...Mr Hand addressed an earnest appeal to all present to be loyal to an enterprise in which the Society will play the part of pioneer
.

Throughout its life, there were no illustrations as the cost was beyond their meagre budget. In issue No 5 the editor comments ...the impracticability on account of cost of producing illustrations, until some philatelic mine-magnate, if such there be, comes to the rescue.

In a letter from Emil Tamsen, published in issue No 3, it becomes apparent that the printed version was initially intended as a continuation of the type-written effort. A remark by Tamsen reads...Three numbers have been issued, and No 4 due on the 1st November, is to be printed...

Apparently a decision was made to start with Volume 1 No 1 and the first issue of the printed version was late in appearing as noted by the editor under his ‘Jottings’...No one regrets more than the Editor the unpunctuality of this first number. The fact is we had to ‘swop horses while crossing the stream’- in other words, change printers...


Similar front covers for issues No 1 to 4. From No’s 5 to 16
J.T. Allen-Bolton’s advertisement dominated the front page.
Issue No 1 is dated November 1910 and attracted several advertisers, local at first, followed by several others in England.
Initially this journal claimed to be the ‘Official Organ’ of the Johannesburg United Philatelic Society and the Philatelic Society of Rhodesia.
Issue No 2 added the Bloemfontein Philatelic Society and
No 3 the East London Society.

In No 3 (February 1911) the editor announced...The Earl of Crawford (3), KT, President of the Royal Philatelic Society, has honoured the ‘South African Philatelist’ by becoming a subscriber.

In No 5 (March 1911) under Jottings the editor announced that ...The Earl of Crawford and the Editor of ‘Stamp Lover,’ not to mention lesser luminary’s desire sets which, alas! Is not available... (Refers to the earlier Type-written version).

Given the requests for copies of their type-written version, Henderson was considering...a very limited number of sets to be re-produced...
There is no suggestion whether this was carried out; however should there be copies in the British library (ex Crawford) they ought to be reprints as suggested above. (4)

In No 8, June 1911, the editor welcomed Cape Town...on its re-entry into corporate philatelic life. Named Capetown Philatelic Society and Exchange Club. Their first meeting was on 4 May 1911 at the YMCA in Long street.


This article was published in Southern Africa Philately No 6


Continued in next column

 

In November 1911 (No 13) it noted
...Natal Railway Philatelic Society, died stillborn and welcomed Philatelic Society of Natal formed in September 1911.

Availability
Besides by subscription, the journal was also obtainable in Johannesburg from M.P. Vallentine, a Stamp dealer and Sonn’s Periodical and Stationery Stores in Joubert street. In January 1911 in Durban from Woodroffe’s Stationers, West street and by June 1911 in Pretoria from J.A. Wormser in Church street.

Circulation
Overall it was probably low, it had several overseas subscribers and in issue No 12 the editor noted...thanks to the new Capetown Society, quite a compact little group of Capetown subscribers, and Port Elizabeth has at last fallen into line - with ONE subscriber.

Observations on the content of The South African Philatelist (1910 - 12). The British and South African philatelic journals appeared to reproduce each other’s articles going to and thro. For instance an article from South Africa appeared in the November 1910 The Postage Stamp and was then reproduced in The South African Philatelist No 3 in January 1911.

Contemporary news re the postal use of a Bechuanaland postal fiscal (SG F1) was rife and uncomplimentary remarks on the Rhodesia 1910 Double Head issue followed. There are articles, reports on meetings and several useful snippets.

Advertising Rates - One-sixth page 5s or £3 per annum. Small ads 1s 6d per inch. This journal provides an interesting list of early dealers in South Africa. Epstein, who took over from Booleman in 1896, was then trading as Sallo Epstein & Co. at Marlborough House in Commissioner street.
Otto Mangold
, initially in Cape Town, relocated to Smithfield, OFS.

Emil Tamsen offered to either buy or exchange and on every back cover there is M.P. Vallentine from Johannesburg.
The Africa Stamp Co. in Hout street, Cape Town. Peter Falk, a nursery man in Gwelo and well known to Rhodesian collectors announced that he is breaking up a large collection of stamps.

British dealers from London include W.H. Peckitt, Bright & Son, C. Stewart-Douglass, P.L. Pemberton & Co, Walter Morley and B. Levatino from Chiswick. offered Senf-Schaubeck Albums. Law & Barlow offer their patented Cistafile said to ‘Supersede albums for stamp collections’.

J.T. Bolton from Thornton Heath, Surrey took a half page advert in issue No 4 and thereafter occupied the front cover. Charles Smith from Hove had a regular ‘mini-ad’

From Europe
A. Forbin in Paris offers Price lists, wants to buy and the author of The General Catalogue of Fiscal and Revenue Stamps.
A. de Muynck from Brussels buys common stamps of any country per 1000 or by weight.

The South African Philatelist (Version II) Bites the Dust
Ill health forced Henderson to relocate from Johannesburg to Mooi Rivier in Natal. Issue No 16 appeared in February 1912, with no replacement editor, the publication became defunct.

In the January 1913 Stanley Gibbons Monthly Journal Tamsen wrote
...The South African Philatelist is dead, owing to Mr Henderson, the editor, leaving the Transvaal. It was a bright paper, well edited, but was not sufficiently backed up by local collectors to make it a paying concern.
As long as Mr Henderson was willing to work for love and to be out of pocket, it was alright, but when he left, then there was nobody to take his place
.

The South African Philatelic Advertiser - (No’s 1 to 6)
The South African Philatelist No 7 - May 1911
The editor T. Henderson, under monthly Jottings wrote...On May 1st will be published the first number of the ‘South African Philatelic Advertiser.’ Published monthly by Messrs. Baker & Co., Durban, it will cost 1s per annum.

Notes
(1) The South African Philatelist (SAP) July 1928 Article entitled The Philatelic Press in South Africa
(2) Not listed by Brian Birch in Bibliography of Philatelic Periodicals (2015). See www.fipliterature.org
(3) The Earl of Crawford - David Alexander Edward Lindsay (1871 - 1940) formed collections of various Southern African territories, extract of his collections were published in the Stanley Gibbons Monthly Journal of 30 November 1901 under Notes and News by the editor Charles Phillips.

An Exhibition of South African Colonies on 16 November 1901 was hosted by the Philatelic Society (RPSL) at their rooms in Arundel Street, Strand. The Earl of Crawford displayed British Bechuanaland, OFS - prior to Occupation, Transvaal, Mafeking and Transvaal War Issues.
(4) The Earl of Crawford’s extensive Philatelic Library is now in the British Library, Euston in London.

 
1911 to 1912 - The South African Philatelic Advertiser - (No’s 1 to 6)
The South African Philatelic Advertiser and Natal Philatelist - (No’s 7 to 13)

The South African Philatelic Advertiser - (No’s 1 to 6)
The South African Philatelist (SAP) No 7 - May 1911
The editor T. Henderson, under monthly Jottings wrote...
On May 1st will be published the first number of the ‘South African Philatelic Advertiser.’ Published monthly by Messrs. Baker & Co., Durban, it will cost 1s per annum.
The foregoing is not quite correct, although the first issue has a price of 1d, a postal subscription was 2s per annum.


The South African Philatelic Advertiser May 1911

In an Introduction the Editor wrote
...With this issue we have pleasure in presenting to the philatelic world, and more especially the South African, the first number of the ‘South African Philatelic Advertiser’.
We say pleasure because we hope and trust that collectors throughout this ‘wicked, weary world’ of ours will support us.
We believe ourselves to be the only philatelic medium in the South African Union.
We do not intend to give our subscribers much reading matter. This our first number is necessarily overburdened with it, but we crave your indulgence and ask that you send along your advertisement at once and crowd the ‘stuff’ out. We know that South Africa is growing, and rapidly at that, in stamp matters, so we ask one and all to give us hearty support
...

Comment on the above
Issue No 1 includes three pages of dialogue which according to the Editor ‘overburdened’ their first attempt at ‘publishing’.
A Journal without ‘content’ was not likely to succeed and that was indeed the case with Philatelic Advertiser...it did not last long, failed and sank into obscurity.

Emil Tamsen was not very complimentary and in a July 1928 SAP article entitled The Philatelic Press in South Africa wrote...It called itself the only philatelic advertising medium and says it does not intend to give its subscribers much reading matter and it really does not. From No 9 it drops down to four small pages and expires three months later.

The South African Philatelist No 10 - August 1911
Under the Editorial the following comment...The ‘South African Philatelic Advertiser’ seems to be flourishing; both advertisements and reading matter show advances in quantity and quality. In the same issue there is an advertisement for the SA Philatelic Advertiser, it was repeated each month up to/and including the last SAP issue in February 1912.


Continued in next column

 

The South African Philatelist No 14 December 1911
Under Jottings...Our Durban contemporary has taken to itself a handle to its name, and is now the ‘South African Philatelic Advertiser and Natal Philatelist.’ The change is consequent upon its adoption as ‘official organ’ of the Philatelic Society of Natal
.

The South African Philatelic Advertiser and Natal Philatelist

No 7 to 13 - November 1911 to May 1912


Issue No 7 November 1911 Price now 2d

Distribution of the Philatelic Advertiser
It was obtainable direct from the Publishers, Box 604, Durban or from the following Agents
W.S. Woodroffe, West street, Durban
C. Frost, Braamfontein, Johannesburg
W.E. Neave, Cambridge road, Kilburn, England
W.H. Taberner, West street, Lancaster, England

Issue No 7 includes three pages of adverts, one and a half pages of announcements, half a page devoted to the Philatelic Society of Natal.
It concludes with two pages by Fred Melville on Mauritius...not very inspiring!

The demise of another journal
In the January 1913 Stanley Gibbons Monthly Journal Tamsen wrote...
The other paper, The South African Philatelic Adviser and Natal Philatelist, has also ceased to exist, No 13 being its last number.

The editor, in his farewell, states that, owing to lack of support, he is compelled to cease publication. He is confident that his paper would be a big success in South Africa, provided the editor had the hearty co-operation of all local philatelists (that is just the point I am emphasizing).

The editor goes on to say, ‘the apathy of South African collectors is deplorable’ (I have read similar remarks from other parts of the globe).
He goes on to say, ‘All over the world at this time signs are not wanting of a philatelic revival, yet, mark you, South Africa does not share in this revival.
Philately, as far as South Africa is concerned, is either dead or dormant. And why? Surely we have right at our doors in the stamps of the various provinces enough interest and to spare’.

Illustrations courtesy Alan MacGregor


This article was published in Southern Africa Philately No 7

 
The South African Stamp Collector (1916-17)

Issue No 3 September 1916

Issue No 4 October 1916

Issue No 8 March-April 1917
The South African Stamp Collector (1916-17)
Edited by C.M. Henderson in Kimberley (Nine issues)
Emil Tamsen (1) commented...From the first to the last number this journal is full of interesting matter and also advertisements, all the more remarkable because of the restrictions caused by the Great War then in full blast.

In keeping with the previous ‘National Philatelic journal’ (The South African Philatelist 1910 - 12) it stated that it was the ‘Official Organ’ of the Philatelic Society current in South African at that time. It included The United Philatelic Society of Johannesburg, The Cape Town Society & Exchange club, Philatelic Society of Natal, East London Philatelic Society and Pretoria Philatelic Society. Four of these societies had an advertisement on a page of this journal. (See illustration below)

The South African Stamp Collector
To date I have had the opportunity of looking through four out of the nine issues and my comments are based on Issues No’s 3, 4, 7 and 8.
From July 1916 to January 1917 it was a monthly journal, by early 1917 it started to struggle as issue No 8 is dated March-April 1917 and the final (9th) edition May-June 1917.

Advertising
Henderson included some 9/10 pages of adverts in each issue that ranged from a full page down to ‘Smalls’. The foregoing suggests that his venture was financially viable and the Annual Subscription was set at 3/6 and 4/- (Abroad)

Continued in next column

Advertisers included locals, British, Europe and the USA and worthy of note:

United Kingdom
Bright & Son, R.E.R. Dalwick, Stewart Douglas (Stamp Albums)
Ewen’s Weekly Stamp News, Frank Godden, Geo. Ginn & Co, Harmer Rooke, Willy Jacoby, Leonard Brand, Oswald Marsh, Stamp Collecting, Stanley Gibbons, F.B. Turpin, Whitfield King,

Europe
Derigal & Co (France) G. Resten (Paris, France) Theodore Champion (Paris, France)

Overseas
‘Albermarle Stamp Collector’ (USA) ‘Everybody’s Philatelist’ (Cleveland, USA) Graca & Co (Hong Kong) W.H. Robinson (Brisbane, Australia) Roesslar’s Stamp News (NY, USA) The Stamp Shop (Chicago, USA)
Wang Chin Chai (Peking, China)


South Africa

African Stamp Exchange Club (run by Emil Tamsen), E. Beuthin (Johannesburg) Sallo Epstein (Johannesburg) Peter Falk (Gwelo, Rhodesia) Chas Hand (Pretoria) M.P. Vallentine (Johannesburg) N. Welsford (Durban). Also included various individuals resident in Kimberly including the Editor Henderson.

Note
(1)
The South African Philatelist (July 1928) page 98


Issue No 3 Title Page


South African Society Advertising

Back Cover Advertising

More to Follow Soon
Section in the process of being Revised - Magazines & Journals
Early Pioneering South African Journals to 1923 (See above & below)
The first edition of The South African Philatelist appeared in February 1923 and early editions of this well known magazine are not easy to acquire.
Philatelic Journalism had started much earlier than that and most of these titles may be unfamiliar to the majority

In the Jan/Mar 2007 edition of The Springbok Volume 55 No 1 - Whole No 297
Alan MacGregor published a list of old Journals that are in his possession and the first pre-dates the 1910 Union of South Africa
The Union Philatelist
Editor and Proprietor J. Robertson
Volume I No 1 - February 1920
Volume I No 2 - March 1920
Volume I No 3 - April 1920
No. 3 to No. 8 all larger format
Volume I No 4 - May 1920
Volume I No 5 - June 1920
Volume I No 6 - July-August 1920
Volume I No 7 - September-October 1920
Volume I No 8 - November-December 1920 Final Issue
 
The Quarterly Review of Philately
Incorporating the UNION PHILATELIST
Editor and Publisher J. Robertson
Published Monthly at Durban Natal - On inside facing page
Volume I No 1 - March 15th 1921
Volume I No 2 - June 15th 1921
Volume I No 3 - September 15th 1921
Volume I No 4 - December 1921 Editor Harry Blom
Volume 2 No 5 - April 1922
Volume 2 No 6 - July 1922
Volume 2 No 7 - October 1922
 
From Volume 1 No 2 it states that it is the Official Organ of the Johannesburg United, Pretoria - Capetown - East London and Port Elizabeth Philatelic Societies - From Volume 2 No 7 it adds the South West Africa Philatelic Club and Cambridge Philatelic Society
The International Hobbyist
The OFFICIAL ORGAN of the International Card and Stamp Collectors’ Club
Edited by J. Robertson
Volume 1 No 1 - October 1920
Volume 1 No 4 - October 1921 - Whole No 4
Volume 3 No 1 - April 1923 - Whole No 7  
1923 - 1932  The South African Philatelist
A review by Otto Peetoom


Incorporating The Union Philatelist and Quarterly Review of Philately
Edited
by G.W. Reynolds - Published by H. Blom
Volume 1 No 1 - February 1923    

Thus with the launch of The South African Philatelist it incorporated two of the previous titles published during 1920 - 1922

Editor G.W. Reynolds From February 1923 to August 1924 - Whole No's 1 to 19 - Published by H. Blom

In the September 1924 Editorial it was announced that Reynolds was moving from Johannesburg to Durban and handed the reins over to H. Blom who Edited and Published the Magazine from September 1924 to December 1924 - Whole No's 20 to 23

In January 1925 J. Robertson took over as Editor & Publisher of The South African Philatelist and in his farewell Blom wrote:

The new editor Mr J. Robertson is known to all readers. The founder of the Union Philatelist and the Quarterly Review of Philately, the predecessors of the South African Philatelist, he has laboured much in the cause of philately in South Africa, and I have no hesitation in saying that under his able guidance this journal will continue to flourish.

J. Robertson continued as Editor and Publisher of The South African Philatelist from January 1925 until December 1928
Whole No's 24 to 71 and for reasons not known the S.A.P. was not published during 1929 and 1930

Publication resumed in February 1931 (Whole No 72) and there was no Journal in May Robertson continued in his roll until September 1932 (Whole No 90)
In October 1932 (Issue No 91) A.E. Basden took over as Editor.

In the December 1932 issue the following appeared:
Report of Meeting of Third Philatelic Congress of Southern Africa
Held in the Carlton Hotel, Johannesburg, Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th October 1932 In the final Paragraph it states: S.A. PHILATELIST
The President, on behalf of the Permanent Executive, reported on the purchase of this paper for Congress, and Congress approved of the action of the Executive. Congress placed on record its appreciation of the work of Mr J. Robertson in maintaining the journal in the past.

The Format of the S.A.P. was less than an A5 size being 210 x 130 mm. The content included notes on new issues and varieties plus articles on Union and
Pre Union Philately

The new 1923 South West Africa overprints were another feature and there was a regular section for Society News - Overseas news on important auctions and what appeared in certain British philatelic magazines was also included

News of other African countries was another feature - For instance in the second edition there is a photograph of a complete sheet of the East Africa & Uganda 1919 4 cents on 6c overprint with almost half the sheet folded back that caused the Surcharge to be printed on the gummed side and omitted from the front

Rhodesia filled many of the pages during 1923 & 24 in a series of articles by J.E.M. Coch that commenced in April 1923
Several correspondents in Rhodesia made regular contributions to the Journal

In August 1923 there is a four page article by G.W. Reynolds on the Union's used high values and Telegraphic cancellations

During 1924 Rhodesia continued to feature and the were letters of shock, indignation and disapproval in connection with the British South African Company's sale of their remainder stock to the Stamp Trade

On the home front Reynolds submitted Notes on Plate numbers on Union stamps and was a frequent contributor on other Union matters.
Emil Tamsen wrote on The Stamps of East Griqualand that includes the history of the Mount Currie Express

The South West Africa overprints continued to receive considerable attention throughout 1924 and 1925

1925 Started with news on the Air Mails and the stamps, varieties and flown covers popped up frequently. there was strong disapproval that the Airmail remainders remained on sale under a title Government selling Stamps which cannot be used

1926 Opened with OUR NEW STAMPS and South West Africa Not Forgotten and is followed by Alan Cobham's Great Flight


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